Bathing cap



Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATHING CAP Clyde Maurice Moore, Richmond, Va., assignor to Moorex Industries, Inc., Richmond, Va.

Application March 9, 1949, Serial No. 80,494

Claims. I

This invention relates to caps or head coverings, and more particularly to a beach bathing cap construction suitable to be used for swimming or other bathing purposes.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a bathing cap which will effectively and efficiently prevent ingress of water to the hair of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a, bathing cap having marginal portions adapted to extend across the forehead, down each side of the face, and across the back of the neck of the wearer, with spring means in or secured to the marginal portions thereof, whereby such marginal portions are adapted to be resiliently held in close engagement with the forehead, each side of the face and the neck of the wearer, to prevent ingress of water to the hair of the wearer.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present disclosure wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view showing one form of the cap embodying features of the invention applied to thehead of the wearer.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the spring means used in connection with the marginal portions of the bathing cap, in unrestrained position, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2 of a modified form of spring construction.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the bathing cap, generally indicated by reference numeral I, comprises a water-proof head covering 2 preferably constructed of rubber or other suitable material such as rubberized silk, nylon, or other fabric material. The head covering 2 forms the main body portion of the cap I and is desirable of one-piece construction although it may be made of several pieces if desired, and the pieces secured together in an suitable manner to render the construction water-proof as by vulcan- 1z1ng.

The head covering 2 includes water-proof face and neck sealing marginal portion 3, 4 adapted to extend in a continuous manner across the forehead, down each side of the face, and around the back of the neck of the wearer.

In the form of the invention chosen for illustration, the marginal portions 3, 4 comprise an inner band 5 integral with the head covering 2, and an outer band 6 vulcanized to the band 5. It will be obvious of course that the band 5 may be made separate from the head covering 2 if desired, and vulcanized or otherwise suitably secured thereto, and preferably, longitudinally extending reinforcing ribs 1 are provided in. the band 5 below the ears of the wearer and extending across the terminal or merging portions of the marginal portions 3, 4.

Resilient means are embedded in or otherwise suitably secured to the marginal portions 3, 4 of the bathing cap I to hold such marginal portions in close engagement with the face and neck of the wearer, whereby to prevent ingress of water to the hair of the wearer, and in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, such resilient or spring means comprise elongate springs 8 and 9. The spring 8 is adapted to extend in a continuous manner across the forehead and down each side of the face of the wearer, and the spring 9 is adapted to extend in a continuous manner around the back of the neck of the wearer, the ends I0 and l l of the springs 8 and 9, respectively, terminating in proximity to each other, and preferably, but not necessarily, in juxtaposed position with the reinforcing rib provided in the outer band 6.

Fig. 4 shows one of the springs 9 in plan view, and illustrates the position normall assumed by the springs 8 and 9 when unrestrained. From this view it will be obvious that when the spring means 8 and 9 are secured to the marginal portions 3, 4 of the bathing cap I, they resiliently urge such marginal portions to a more or less collapsed position, whereby when such marginal portions are pulled outwardly and the cap is placed on the head of the wearer, such marginal portions form a seal extending across the forehead, down each side of the face, and around the back of the neck of the wearer.

The spring means 8 and 9 are preferably assembled with the marginal portions 3, 4 by placing the same on the band 5 in proper position, and then vulcanizing the outer band 6 to the band 5 as previously described.

As illustrated, the springs 8 and 9 have a sircular cross section, but any desired cross-sectional configuration may be used, and while I prefer to construct the said springs of spring metal, such as spring steel, other spring or resilient materials such as plastics, hard rubber, or the like, may be used.

By my novel bathing cap construction, the

usual chin strap may ordinarily be eliminated. This is particularly true with respect to shower bathing, river and lake bathing, and calm ocean bathing. For rough surf bathing a strap may be desired, and it will be obvious that strap attaching elements may be secured to the outer band 6, for example, adjacent the ribs 7?, if desired.

The modified form of bathing cap i illustrated in Fig. 5 is identical in construction with the bathing cap I except that the spring means in this modified form of the invention comprises spring straps, such as the strap 8, secured to or embedded in the marginal portions 5, 8 of the head covering 2.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and have herein described in detail the preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1'. A substantially water-proof bathing cap construction comprising a substantially waterproof head covering including face and neck sealing marginal portions adapted to extend in a continuous manner across the forehead, down each side of the face, and around the back of the neck of the wearer; and resilient means em bedded in said marginal portions of the head covering to hold the same in close engagement with the face and neck of the wearer, whereby to prevent ingress of water to the hair of the wearer.

2. A substantially water-proof bathing cap construction comprising a substantially water-proof head covering including face and neck sealing marginal portions adapted to extend in a continuous manner across the forehead, down each side of the face, and around the back of the neck of the wearer; and spring means in said marginal portions of the head covering to hold the same i in close engagement with the face and neck of the wearer, whereby to prevent ingress of water to the hair of the wearer.

3. A substantially water-proof bathing cap construction comprising a substantially water-proof 4 with said marginal portions of the head covering tohold the same in close engagement with the face and neck of the wearer, whereby to prevent ingress of water to the hair of the wearer.

4. A substantially water-proof bathing cap construction comprising a substantially water-proof head covering including face and neck sealing marginal portions adapted to extend in a continuous manner across the forehead, down each side of the face, and around the back of the neck of the wearer; a spring in said face sealing marginal portion extending in a continuous manner across the forehead and down each side of the face of the wearer, and a second spring in said neck sealing marginal portion extending in a continuous manner around the back of the neck of the wearer, said first and second springs having ends terminating in proximity to each other, whereby to hold said marginal portions in close engagement with the face and neck of the wearer to prevent ingress of water to the hair of the wearer.

5. A substantially water-proof bathing cap con- 1 struction comprising a substantially water-proof head covering including face and neck sealing marginal portions adapted to extend in a continuous manner across the forehead, down each side of the face, and around the back of the neck of the wearer; a spring associated with said face sealing marginal portion, said spring extending in a continuous manner across the forehead and down each side of the face of the wearer, and a second spring associated with said neck sealing marginal portion, said second spring extending in a continuous manner around the back of the neck of the wearer, said first and second springs having ends terminating in proximity to each other, whereby to hold said marginal portions in close engagement with the face and neck of the wearer to prevent ingress of water to the hair of the wearer.

CLYDE MAURICE MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 926,555 Ernest June 29, 1909 1,215,311 Miller Feb. 6, 1917 1,877,411 Lower Sept. 13, 1932. 1,950,081 De Laney Mar. 6, 1934 2,192,080 Hock Feb. 27, 1940 2,269,868 Smith Jan. 13, 1942 

